• There is unlikely to be any news on the matter of cable undergrounding before suitable project targets have been identified.

• It has now been confirmed that the May Bank Holiday food festival will take place.

5. EHDC Core Strategy

• Core Strategy questionnaire document on transport completed by TSH was discussed. VE to draft the response for circulation and further comment.

• Chapter on Where Should New Development Go was discussed in general terms. It was not possible to deal with the detail during the meeting so these will be considered in light of general guidelines agreed.

- There is considerable housing development potential at Whitehill/Bordon with the expected release of MOD land. This ought to be central to core strategy approach to all other areas by establishing a viable and attractive centre in this location served by improved transport infrastructure. The latter could be a free shuttle bus to near by main line train station or re-establish the Longmoor track connection to Liss station. This type of new town approach, could for example be an Eco town, would provide a long term solution for East Hampshire.

• The next meeting to concentrate on individual further work on the section of Where Should New Development Go and draft response on Housing by TS and Transport by VE.

• Valerie Dobson of EHDC has confirmed that workshops on the Core Strategy can not be held before 6 May when present public consultation process is to be concluded. She has however stated that arrangement of workshops after this date are likely.

• PH emphasised that Petersfield which is washed over by the East Hampshire AONB and possibly (hopefully) the SDNP should be treated differently from towns outside these areas of special designation. Core Strategy and TDS text should clearly acknowledge this.

6. Action Plan for Writing TDS

• TS, PH, VE & Bob Ayer of P2M attended a meeting with with Alistair Spiers (AS) and Valerie Dobson (VD) of EHDC on Tuesday morning 1st April to discuss the matter of compatibility between the TDS and the Local Plan and future Local Development Framework. The main and important findings, according to notes by VE were:

- The main purpose of the TDS will be to amplify existing policies, in this case the Local Plan, by giving detailed guidance for Petersfield. There is also the opportunity to influence emerging policies in the Local Development Framework. An example of the latter was future boundary lines of development areas such as H9 in the current Local Plan.

- AS suggested that the setting of town and green fingers should be dealt with separately from the general heading landscape.

- The reference to key opportunity areas is seen as a valuable source of information for developing the LDF.

- Expand the guidance on desirable building characteristics by town area would give weight to the TDS.

- Design guidance for industrial and business sites is another area for TDS input.

- The TDS will be important for forming emerging policies under the current HE1 (design) and GS1 (sustainable development).

- Traffic issues should in general be directed towards Highways as they can not be regarded as design matters. There is nevertheless a correlation to consider.

- EHDC are looking for assistance with defining the development potential for Petersfield until 2026. This to be set in context by appreciating that East Hampshire is currently expected to find sites for 200 dwellings per year during that time frame.

- EHDC have appointed consultants to produce a report on Open Spaces within the Petersfield area. Assurance was given that this type of information will be forwarded to the TC group as soon as possible

• Alistair Spiers complemented the TC group for putting forward the synopsis for the TDS for comment. He felt that this was a very productive way of dealing with the developing document. It was compared with work by Alton who had presented fully written documents that immediately were more difficult and time consuming to amend which caused some friction. Frequent updates of progress with work to be forwarded to AS will encourage a productive dialogue.

• AS explained that it may still be necessary to produce a Sustainability Appraisal in order to ensure that the TDS is adopted as a SPD rather than SPG. There are however rumours circulating that this requirement may be dropped.

7. Interaction with Local Business Community

• Draft flyer and accompanying letter has been completed and will now forwarded by PH to Liza Smith of EHDC for distribution to the business community. The only remaining addition is a mention of the LDF which will replace the Local Plan in time.